So What's The Difference?

      Can you think of times that you have felt rejected?  It can be very painful and difficult to heal from because it attacks your self worth and esteem.  Don’t get the two words confused here.  Low self worth and low self esteem are two different definitions and it’s important to understand the difference.  Low self worth has to do with believing we have little to no value.  We have a tendency to compare ourselves to others or to feel that we aren’t worthy or deserving of certain things or relationships in life.  Low self esteem is how we regard ourselves or place our value and is momentary, short lived.  It’s the amount of value you grant yourself.  If you have good self esteem, you may hear something that will bring you down for a moment but it doesn’t affect your core belief of yourself.  For instance, somebody gets a promotion that you were seeking.  It is a blow to your confidence and esteem for that moment but it doesn’t shake how you feel about yourself.  You still believe in your strengths and who you are as a person.  The kick to your esteem just pushes you to improve.  A person with low self esteem will allow it to affect how they perceive themselves and make comparisons in an unhealthy way.  The kick to their esteem adds to their feelings of little to no value, uselessness, and their imperfections which can lead to depression, low self worth.  We feel insignificant, the need for approval,

     Here’s a self inventory for you.  Answer these questions as honestly as you can.  Remember, I’m not there to judge you and nobody else can hear your thoughts.  This is your private time to really dig deep and answer to the truth about yourself and not how you think you should answer.

Ø  Do you find yourself to be timid, shy, or even fearfully so?

Ø  Do you give into other people too easily?

Ø  Are you sensitive and get your feelings hurt easily?

Ø  Do you have overly aggressive attitudes?

Ø  Do you have fits or rages?

Ø  Have others described you as having attitude problems?

Ø  Are you a perfectionist?

Ø  Are you self critical?

Ø  Do you have a fear of failure and avoid risks?

Ø  Don’t set healthy boundaries

Ø  Neglect yourself

Ø  Do you always feel like you’re the victim in situations

Ø  Do other people’s opinions matter more than yours

Ø  Do you always try to fit in

Ø  Do you overly criticize people or yourself

Ø  Demanding

Ø  Find it hard to forgive

Ø  Rebellious to authority

Ø  Defensive

Ø  Do compliments make you uncomfortable

Ø  Do you blame others for things you have done wrong

Ø  Is it hard to get close to people and bond with them

Ø  Are you afraid to defend yourself

Ø  Do you compare yourself to others

I pray that you have learned more about the differences between low self worth and low self esteem.  Self worth is how we feel valued and esteem is how we place value.   The next time you find yourself in a situation when either is challenged, take a mental note of how it affected you.  Did you bounce back and strive to make improvements or did it hold you back and cause you to question if you mattered or if  you were good enough.  God wants us to walk in peace and to have a good self image of ourselves.  After all, we were created in His image and He is just amazing!

Here's a beautiful scripture you can use as a prayer while you’re searching your heart for the changes that you desire in your life.

“Show me your ways, Oh Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for You are God my savior and my hope is in You all day long.”  Psalm 25:4-5

Next week: Where does low self worth come from?